The Long Night
by Octavia Brown
Summary: A moment in time in the future.  Kenpachi from Zaraki and Retsu Unohana are married.  How would that work, exactly?  Mind the rating!


_I keep promising other stories, I'm so sorry! I'll get to them but I need to sit and think more carefully about what I want to do with them before proceeding. That includes False/Honest and that epic UnoKen story I keep hinting at. But for now, I'm working like a dog on a complicated project (of course it was only supposed to be two weeks and it's looking like it it might turn into two months), and this week the hubby is away so I'm also playing single mom (with a little help from my mom). One extremely late night I fell into my bed all alone and thought of my husband and along came this story. This one is for you, babe. Miss you. Love you._

_Notes: 1. I don't own Bleach and this is not a challenge to the copyright. 2. The characters may be a little OC (or maybe a lot) but in this story they've had time to get used to a situation we're all new to - namely their marriage. 3. Why is it called a lemon? I mean, I guess it is one, but..."lemon?" Really?_

She stepped into her quarters and ignited a faint ball of kido to light her way. A soft red glow fell on the front room where she removed her sandals and then her captain's haori. Over it, on a rack made of finely carved wood, she respectfully hung Minazuki by its red thread. She stretched her arms over her head, then pressed hands behind her hips until her back popped. She took a deep breath and let it out fully, to the point where it made her dizzy.

She had visitors but they seemed asleep. She walked to the guest bedroom, rubbing a shoulder as she did (hallway illuminated by kido). She peeked in the door and spied a child sprawled on the bed, pink hair a burnished orange in the kido light. Her steady breathing belied the disarray of her covers and the woman quietly stepped in to straighten them. She lifted the child's head back to her pillow. The girl didn't struggle but didn't help either. "Ken-chan," she muttered through a mouthful of sleep, "I smell her. Re-chan's smell is here, hide." The girl carried on muttering incoherently into her pillow. The woman smiled over her and exited as silently as she had entered the room.

She stopped in the bathroom and washed her face and brushed her teeth. Then she took apart her braid. She brushed her hair thoroughly until it shown. With one deep breath she could feel the exhaustion go all the way to her toes. She rocked back on her heels before steadying herself. Covering a yawn she walked into her room. She extinguished her kido lamp. Enough moonlight filtered in through the curtain that she could see a large figure in her bed. He was sleeping deeply, one hand on the pillow she usually occupied. A soft sound escaped her lips as a warm sensation flooded her. He didn't always wait for her.

With only one goal left for her in the night, Retsu swiftly undid the ties knotted into her obi. In mere moments she had divested herself of hakama and tabi and was tugging off her kimonos when the man said, "some women like to turn that into a show."

She snapped her kimono shut over herself. "I'm not 'some women.'"

"No," he admitted. "Thank God." He sat up, long hair in a snarl, torso completely bare. "You're my wife, you're damn late and I bet you haven't eaten dinner either."

With a sigh and a smile she sat at the edge of the bed. "Most of that is true, however, I did eat some onigiri around midnight."

"Which I'm guessing was several hours ago." He put one hand over one of hers. "Don't you have the morning shift?"

"You're fussing like an old hen," she chided.

"Someone has to. You have the same attitude for sleep as Yachiru has for eating her vegetables."

"Did you come all the way over here to lecture me, husband of mine?"

Kenpachi grunted. "Che. That wasn't my first thought." He reached out and collected the woman in his arms. He grinned at how easily she folded into him, almost falling against him. She was half asleep already. Drawing her fully onto the bed, he ran a hand down her neck and along a shoulder. He slipped it under her kimonos and over her upper arms. He gently slid the cloth from her shoulders. She made a happy sound and shrugged out of the kimonos.

Encircled in his arms, clad only in blue lace panties and a bra, she gazed up at her husband and smiled grandly. Kenpachi grinned and kissed her, nipping at her lower lip. She laughed lightly against his mouth. "I thought you wanted me to sleep."

"Hmm." He nuzzled her neck as hands went to work on the hooks to her bra. "Well, relax at the very least. I was expecting you a while ago, you know. Yachiru fell asleep or I would I have left."

Retsu pushed away from him as he slid the straps of her bra over her shoulders. "I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting. I wanted to keep the night clear for you and our plans but an explosion of toxic hollow reiatsu in 12th squad barracks brought an influx of critically wounded patients. Not only were there ill shinigami to tend to, but Captain-"

Kenpachi placed a finger at the curve of her collarbone below her throat and slowly pulled it down between her breasts. "It doesn't really matter. You had lives to save." His voice was dull. His finger stopped where it met Retsu's bra.

There wasn't anything to say. Tension was creeping back into her shoulders. The woman leaned into the man, hands gliding over his chest, she stretched up and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads always had certain priorities that could not be set aside. Both of them had been ordered away from each other by the Head Captain and both had independently determined that they had tasks (medical in Retsu's case and violent in Kenpachi's) that took precedence over time spent together.

Retsu rose to her knees, one hand over the large hand still "caught" on her bra. With her other hand on Kenpachi's face, she put her lips just over his ear and whispered, "I am very glad you stayed." To drive her point home she delivered a tiny bite to the edge of his ear.

Kenpachi gave a soft grunt. He pressed his face to her upper chest. The finger hooked into her bra began tugging downward. Retsu wrapped both arms around his head as the bra came off. A loud "hmmm" thrummed over her heart, the heat and thrill made her dizzy. She didn't realize how dizzy until she noticed she was being placed on her pillow, Kenpachi up against her. He whispered, "I'm just trying to say you would have been even more glad a few hours ago."

Keeping a hand on Kenpachi's craggy face, Retsu smiled sadly. "I wanted to be here," she began but was silenced with a kiss. She moaned softly as he massaged a breast in one hand. When he dipped his mouth to the other breast she couldn't suppress a giggle. "Well now, who's this disrespecting my need for sleep?"

With a snicker, Kenpachi took a couple swipes at the nipple causing the woman under him to arch her back. "Don't tell me this won't make sleep better, even if you're only letting yourself get two hours' worth."

Retsu laughed. "Oh it's for my benefit! In that case, I'm sorry I doubted you." With a chuckle she rolled onto her side, displacing Kenpachi but taking his hand with her. She pressed her back into his chest. He molded her to him with his hand pressed to her abdomen. It was warm and as rough as the skin was, its reality was comforting. She rested her head on his other arm, folded under her so his hand was under the pillow, and rubbed her cheek on it for the joy of feeling the muscles flex.

Kenpachi pressed his pelvis against the woman in his arms. He could feel her wiggle and knew she knew he wasn't wearing anything. A delectable sound came from her that was half a giggle and half a groan; she had to decide now which way to go. Certainly, Kenpachi admitted to himself, he had a preference. He settled his mouth on a smooth shoulder and pressed his teeth lightly to the skin. Meanwhile the hand over her lower belly slid southward and fingertips glided under the lace they encountered, determined to follow every curve and secret path to their goal. His wife groaned and undulated against him, which only made him more determined.

"Kenpachi." The sigh was wistful but laced with lust. "I wish...but -ugh- but I'm so tired." She groaned once more as his fingers slipped in the moisture between her legs.

"Shh. Don't do anything. Let me." He kissed her shoulder. His hand strained to reach further.

Retsu made an amused sound. "You're going to tear my things again." She tugged his hand out and curled up on her side. She made quick work of pulling off her underwear and lay back down.

"You know, some people think between the two of us, you're the one who's sentimental. Just goes to show how little they know."

Retsu looked over her shoulder at Kenpachi but said nothing. He chuckled and lay his wet hand on her hip before re-accommodating himself. His hand worked in front and in back, against her hip, she could feel his arousal growing. Retsu pressed back against him by grabbing the bedsheet and pulling against it. She breathed shallowly until she couldn't take it anymore and a moan erupted from her mouth. Without quite thinking, she slung her top leg back over the man behind her. She was completely exposed to him and the thrill of flagrant invitation was intoxicating.

Kenpachi growled and unfolded the arm under her. He moved it to where he could both touch her breasts and hold her still. With her legs parted so scandalously over him he had perfect access. Removing his fingers, he positioned himself at the moist opening and pushed in. Wet hand over her hips, he rolled his pelvis up and down until he got the range of motion just right – too much one way would hurt her and too much the other way would lose the connection.

"Oh God...Kenpachi." She sighed and shivered. One arm pressed against the bed gave her leverage and the other moved her hand to the sacred place where they met. She could feel her own wetness spilling out. She pressed her hand to the leg she had wrapped backwards over her husband. As it moved her nails raked her own skin as she felt ever more licentious. This was the only way she allowed herself to feel...so...completely desired, completely cherished. She was needed for her skills elsewhere and she had her compatriots and loyal subordinates. But the killing machine she had married was the only one who made her feel safe enough to be thoroughly wanton. She nearly shrieked when she felt his fingers on her bud again. As it was, he had to use both hands to keep her thrashing from separating them.

Only foolish men really thought fighting was much like sex, but a few skills did cross over. Kenpachi was glad he had schooled himself to take his time, to draw out his pleasures. In a fight it made his opponents give all they had, to pull out every tool and resource to try to beat him. In bed, well specifically with Retsu, it was the only thing he thought that made it possible to keep up. Desire for her roared to life within him with a simple thought of her and when she was against him it burned white hot. Taking his time, pacing his libido even in the midst of sex was the only way he could keep from being overcome. When she threw herself into the moment because of her pent up needs, as she was doing right now, all he could do was think about how disappointed she would be if he let himself go first. All the same... "Retsu." He bit at her neck and began shoving into her more violently. All the same, even a strong man has his limits.

Retsu gasped as Kenpachi bucked under her. Flashes fired in her head, a symptom of both exhaustion and unfettered pleasure. The body demanded it at the same time that the body did not want it. Such a petty tyrant, the body.

"Petty tyrant, huh?" The voice over her ear was low, steely. All movement stopped. Retsu gasped, momentarily unsure of what was happening.

"I was talking about me," she choked out quickly. What had she said, exactly?

"I don't really care." He licked her ear and pinched a nipple. He chuckled when she gasped. "You're more asleep than not. Maybe I should stop if I don't want to take advantage of you."

She stiffened without meaning to. She was having trouble controlling herself, so much was true. She put her fingers down to where he was still inside her. She gritted her teeth.

"Finish what you started," she ordered him.

"Mmhh. Yes, ma'am." He started moving again, slowly. This position was starting to get tiresome but he didn't have a better idea at the moment. With as tired as she was, flat on her back Retsu would be asleep in no time. He pinched the other nipple and felt her jump. "Hey, I never got to tell you about that time last week when I had to miss our lunch." His voice was a low growl.

"Hm?" This wasn't what Retsu would call an expected topic at this time. Little more than a week ago they had planned to meet for lunch. But there had been a report of people – regular rukongai residents – with surprising amounts of reiatsu who had banded together and were now attracting hollows into the 45th district. The reports were confused on the matter of whether it was their reiatsu that was attracting the hollows or if they were doing it intentionally as a sort of strike against the Soul Society. Since the reports were initial Head Captain Yamamoto had ordered a few officers to investigate, but no captains. But since the reports included allusions to men who were strong and good with a sword and wishing to fight shinigami, Kenpachi had excused himself from lunch and went to see if he could get a good fight out of one of them.

Retsu breathed long and deep and concentrated on the sensations radiating out from her core. It had stung that lunch with her was second to the possibility of a fight, but she had to suppose it was no more than what Kenpachi endured when she felt it necessary to stay at the hospital rather than see him. "Was there anything interesting about them? The debriefing included notes about their general fighting prowess. Compared to shinigami none came above seventh seat."

"Fighting alone, I guess that's where I'd peg them too. Most of the group just got together out of safety and mutual understanding, but a handful had a beef against us and that's where it got complicated." The hand at Retsu's little bud resumed gentle circling motions. She gasped and arched against Kenpachi. "They were trying to use the hollows they attracted as ambushes against us. They weren't too much trouble." Somehow he managed to keep his voice low. He could feel the skin on Retsu's upper arms growing goosebumps as she pressed against him. He manhandled a breast and continued.

"One tricky bastard had some kind of spell that let him stand among the hollows but not get attacked by them. Then he could get them to attack together and he could stab from between them." Midway through this he increased the pace and force of his thrusts. He grinned to feel Retsu press her leg back with her own hand, always a good sign. "Fighting that guy alone would have been boring but him plus five hollows screaming for blood...that was a good time."

He growled as he could feel Retsu push against him, inner muscles tightening her hold on him. She was close. So was he, for that matter. Breath whistled through her throat. "There's always that moment, in a really good fight, when I'm not sure how I'm going to get through it. Some people tell me that's worry, fear of battle and it's normal. But it's not normal for me, it's exciting. Usually I can see how to take someone apart and it's dull as hell." He spoke now in short spurts, between thrusts. Eyes closed as he felt Retsu's hand reach behind him to press on his ass. "That's when I have to feel my way...through. It's fucking amazing... It's like dancing, ...almost as good as dancing... with..."

Retsu let out a long moan that almost became a panting yell. Cries followed on cries that she barely muffled. She writhed in his arms. Muscles convulsed around his hardness and Kenpachi let go with a snarl.

They came to a panting stillness with Retsu lying on her stomach and Kenpachi halfway over her. Slowly, almost regretfully, Kenpachi pulled himself away from her sweat-slicked back. He lightly swatted her ass as he sat up. She giggled into the mattress and turned her head took look up at him from one dark eye. He pulled the hair from her face. "It's almost as good as dancing with you."

With a bemused look Retsu arranged herself on her back. She had nothing left. Ordinarily she would like a shower after getting so...messy...but it was all she could do to keep her eyes open.

Kenpachi reached over her to the nightstand and tugged out several tissues. He cleaned himself and swabbed her delicately to remove some of the stickiness. Retsu's eyes were drifting closed, a satisfied smile on her lips. He kissed her on the temple and whispered, "we could be like this every night. We don't have to make the time."

Retsu made a sound. "You moving in?" She was drowsy, but not stupid. "You're welcome to it."

"Just sayin, it's not really that far to the 11th, it can be your home too. The men are starting to get used to see you."

"Your men are no more used to me than my staff is used to you." Sunken eyes looked at him. "We do have to talk about this, Kenpachi, but please not now."

"Right, fine. When?"

"Lunch had seemed like a good idea to me."

Kenpachi stifled a groan of frustration. "I gotta run a new training by the men tomorrow but I can come by after your shift."

"Mh. That's fine."

"Think you'll get those 12th squad idiots out of here by then?"

"I honestly couldn't say. Kenpachi, please." Retsu put a hand to his chest. Kenpachi pulled the covers over them and lay down. "We left a lot to work out after we married. But I never anticipated the look on your face implying you regretted it."

"I don't regret shit." It was Kenpachi's turn to sigh, an extremely unusual occurrence. "Nights without you get so fucking long. When I do get to see you it's over too fast."

"I know. I feel the same way." Retsu put a hand to his cheek, hard like carved stone and drew him in for a kiss. "What happened to that fellow, the one who hid behind the hollows?"

"Eh. You know. The hollows couldn't take my reiatsu. Then it was piece of cake to run in and take him down. Told him to give it up but the idiot tried to swing on my back." He felt Retsu take in a sharp breath. "Aw come on, nothing happened, obviously. It was too easy to block and cut him down."

Retsu smiled and wrapped her arms around her husband. "That's my man."

Shortly after she was nestled against him and fast asleep. In the deep night Kenpachi watched his wife as she seemed to glow in the dim moonlight. He had come to the Seireitei to test himself, to fight and get ever stronger. He never expected to find this, her.


End file.
